Atch mechanism for dumping scoops



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R. R. DNNEE LATCH MECHANISM FOKDUMPNG SCOQPS Original' Filed June 29 ATTO E? N EEN" rnrmsntrenre.

Qrlg'inal application. tiled June 29, 19521, Serial No. @3M/17, .Divided and this 2l, 1923. Serial lilo. Sl.

To aZZ whom t may conce/vrt.'

Be it known that l, ROBERT REX DowNIn,

a citizen of the United States, residing` et Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and 5 State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful `Latch Mechanism for Dumping Scoops, of which the following is a speciiicetion.

lThis invention relates to a latch meol- 10 enism for dumping scoops.

The object is to provide latch mechanism for the bottoms of dumping scoops wherein the bottom is permitted to dump the contents of the scoop at the desired place ley the pull of e cable from a remote point, the cable actuating certain latch or holding membersengeging the lbottom which is pivoted in e manner to cause the Weight of the contents to tilt the same and to freely7 drop therefrom, with the front end of the bottom extending upwardly.

Another object is to provide simple and efficient means of this character which is located at the rear end exterior of the scoop so as not to interfere with the filling or the dumping;f thereof, and which is thus held free rorn becoming' clogged with matter 'from the contents of the scoop, the latch and releasing' Ineens being arranged to act automaticallgv to lock the bottom in closed posi tion when the said bottom is swung upwardly into closed position and to open unfailingly when the cable is pulled.

The present application is a division of 35 the application No. 480,?17 tiled lov me on lune 29, 1921 for patent on a skimmer scoop assembly, and While the invention has heen illustrated in the present application in connection with a scoop of this character, it m will he apparent that the saine may he used in connection with other kinds of scoops or similar devices having pivoted bottoms.

full and complete understanding o?? the invention may he obtain-fed from a considereation of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the aceompanving drawing forming' a part of this specificetion: it being understood that while the drawing' shows a practical form of 'the invention, the latter is not confined to strict conformity7 with the showing thereof, het may changed or modified, so long tts such einen es modiications merle no' material or" the latch reieesing departure from the salient o invention, es specifically pointed in the @e appended claims.

ln the drawing, in which similar reference characters designate cornespnridingv porte throughout the several iig-rires:

Figure l is a longitndinei sectioned of e shimmer scoop having the ir latch means applied thereto.

Figure 2 is e rear eleve Figure 3 is e deteil View ,eert

the return spring for the Figure It is a detail seetionel vi adjustable stop for the letch Figo e 5 is a deteil section on 5-5 of Figure 3. E'

Referring' to the drawing, t in Figure l e scoor l et the t in the hereinhefore mentioned en the said tions of its side ple-tes yor i forfwardly, to which is pivotat 2, the swinging; bottom ii, .h end provided with the teeth 1ltrating. the earth.

The opper edges of the side W their open forward end. connes' the front bevil 5, over which cable 6 havingits terminal. seein"- eye 7. suitably secured to the. of the scoop, and extending a suitehle sheave (not sl'iotvn) the boom 3* of any forni eneemiti chine. The boom preferably consi spaced lil-beams suitehly braced nected and adapted to have their outer dan ejes serve as tracks for :tron or rollers l0, mounted on roch' centrell'wY pivote/d to nnrigght carried 'hv the front hail 5.' The of the rocker arms are connected in* liin 13 to the arles of rear Wheels or rol' and which also carry hanefcrs l5, tVP ends ot which ere connected to which pivotellv and adjusteiilv connec same to rearwardly entendinon or brackets l? suitahljv securedio tifiereai' We?? 8 of the scoop, the seid hangers heiny i i together hv n plat-e i8. is tiene i* lie invention is covered in* the c. aforesaid apolication, no cie" mede to the seme;

Midway between the ears or brackets 17 and located adjacent to the re-inforcing hand 19 surrounding'the scoop at the top thereof, is bolted or otherwise secured another pair of ears 20 somewhatsmaller than the irst mentioned brackets, and having a latch lever 21 pivoted therebetween, the said lever having its intermediate portion oii'set rearwardly and provided at its lower end with a forwardly projecting tooth 22, adapted 'to engage with a keeper 23 secured to the upper face of the scoop bottom 3 and'overhanging the rear edge thereof. The rear end of the keeper is elevated above the bottom and extends rearwardly through a slot 24 formed in the rear wall of the scoop, the upper edge of the. keeper and the lower front face of the tooth 22 being oppositely bevelled so as to cause the automatic engagement of the two members when the rear end. of the bottom 3 is forced upwardly.

The bottom 3 is preferably strengthened and stiened by reinforcin strips 3* extending rearwardly from tie teeth 1i, the rear ends of said strips extending somewhat to the rear of the wall 8, and the whole structure is thus greatly strengthened and capable of resisting great strain while in use.

One of the brackets 17, preferably the left hand one, serves as a'bearing for a transverse rocker shaftL 25, which passes through the lower portion thereof and has its other end pivotally mounted in a smaller bracket 26 arranged beyond vthe center line of the scoop and adjacent to the other` bracket 17 the same being suitably riveted or otherwise secured to the rear vface of the rear wall 8.

The outer end of the rocker shaft 25 is bent u wardly to form an actuating crank arm 2 lthe upper end of which extends above the top ofthe scoop, and is provided with a swivelled eye 28 to which is secured a cable 29 which passes hach to the excavating machine and within reach of the operator.

The rocker shaft passes between the rearwardly bent portion'of the latch lever 21 and theA rear well 8 of the scoop. and is provided with a cam 30 which normally stands uprightnd bears against said lever 21, which is at all times pressed forwardly into such contact by means cia-leaf spring 31 extending upwardly and outwardly and secured to a Spacing` block 32 attached tol the rear wall 8.

In order that the cam 30 may be returned to its normal '-upright position, a coiled spring 33 surrounds the rocker shaft 25, and has its outer end bent upwardly and anchored in the adjacent bracket 17, as shown :it 34. while the other or inner end of said spring is anchored in a collar rotatably mounted on the shaft and having a polygonal head provided with opposite notches 37 cach having vone hcvcllcd face and adaptiasimis ed to receive o from the shaft l When the crank arm 27 is pulled b the operating cable 29, the connection o the coiled s ring 33 through the collar 3 5 and the noto ies and pins 37 and 38 respectively, serves to rotate the shaft 25, and the 11pstanding cam 30 will cause the springpressed arm or lever 21 to be forced rearwardly to release the engagement between the tooth 22 and the keeper 23, against the pressure of the leaf spring 31, and thebotu tom 3 will immediately fall under the pressure of the load thereon, which will be entrely dumped or unloaded from the scoop. When the cable 29 is released, the spring 33 will immediately return the arm 27 and the cam 30 to upright position, which permits said leaf spring toforce the latch arm 2i forwardly and in position to be engaged by the bevelled upper edge of the keeper 23, when the bottom 3 is forced upwardly into. closed position by the manipulations of the operator. In order to stop the arm 21 at the exact point to be thus engaged by the keeper, a bolt 39 is mounted in the rear wall 8 of the scoop, and is provided'with a plurality of washers 40 mounted thereon at the outer face of the rear wall to adjust the head of the. said bolt inwardly or outwardly and vary the engagement with the inner edge of the latch lever 21, and thus compensate for the wear of the tooth 22 and the keeper 23 (Figure 4).

When. it is desired to put more or less tension on the coiled spring 33, the polygonal head 36 may be engaged by a wrench and the collar 35 and the head 86 slid along the shaft 25 to free the pins 38 from the notches 37. when a 'turning movement may be imparted to the said collar to either tighten or loosen the spring, as the case may be, to increase or decrease the resistance of the same in a manner well understood.

-From the foregoing it will be seen that e simple. cheaply manufactured and easily operated latching mechanism has been provided which greatlv facilitates the operation of unloading scoops of the above described class and other similar devices.

l claim:

1. ln an excavating machine, a scoop, means for moving the scoop in a direction to I,posite pins ffprojeeting 'gure 5).

" gather dirt. a dumping bottom for the sooo a latch for holding the dumping bottom m closed position, a rockable cam for disen` gaping the latch from the bottom of the scoop, and means for rocking 4the cam to cause the release of the latch.

2. ln an excavating machine, a scoop, a dumping bottom therefor having earth-entering teeth at thc forward end, a springactuated latch at. the rear end, and a cam release for the latch.

Lainate 'et ln an excavating machine, a scoop, a

(lum ing bottom therefog, a vertically (lis-y 5 -gaged bythe latch, a cam located between the latch and the scoop, and means for turning the cam to release the latch from the keeper.

4. In an excavating machine, a scoop, a clima ing bottom therefor, a vertically dispose spring-actuated latch at the' rear of the scoop7 said latch automatically engaging with said bottom to hold the same closed, a shaft, a sping onsaid shaft located between the latch and the back of the sooo and a cam on said shaft to engage said latcli, said shaft havin one end provided with an arm which exten -s above the rear end of the scoop.

5. lin an excavating machine, a scoop, a dumpin bottom therefor, a substantially Vertica y disposed spring-actuated latch at the rear of the scoop, a keeper on. said bottom to be engaged by said latch, a shaft 'outnaled on the real' end of the scoop, a loose collar on the shaft povidecl with a notch, a pin on said shaft to be engaged by said notch, a spring coiled on said shaft and engaging Sa-lcl collar to hold it against said pin, a cam lmounted on said Shaft to engage said latch, yand means foi actuating sainL shaft to rotate the cam against said latch.

G. The combination with a scoop, a dump ing bottom pivoted to the scoop at the front end and swinging downwardly at the tear end, a latch foi' engaging 'the dumping bottom at the rear end, a cam releasing device located between the latch and the rear wall 'of the scoop, and means for actuating the 

